Youngsters have seen how their hard work has boosted wildlife at a busy shopping centre.

Earlier this year, primary school children from Stockton's Preston School and High Clarence School helped build 30 bird boxes, which were then fitted around Teesside Park.

Volunteers from the Tees Valley Wildlife Trust also constructed a floating island at the park's lake to provide nesting areas for water fowl.

Pupils re-visited the major leisure and retail site to see how the fruits of their labour are benefiting the wildlife.

The boxes attract birds such as blue tits, robins and wrens.

Christopher Arrowsmith, 10, from Preston School, said: "We spent a whole afternoon making the bird boxes and it was a lot of hard work, but it was worth it."

Tees Valley Wildlife Trust Project Officer Jonathan Pounder said: "This type of project is great to stimulate the children's interests in their environment, and enable them to make a positive contribution to a worthwhile project, with the support of local businesses."